Traveling hoist



TRAVELING HoIsT l Filed Aug. 16, 19:57 2 sheets-sheet 1 ATTORNEY.

w. H. RINGE TRAVELING HOIST Filed Aug. 16, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. M//LL/AM H. R/NGE ATTORNEY.

Patented Dec. 13, 1938 UNHTED STATES A'ENT GFFIQE 8 Claims.

This invention relates to traveling hoists or cranes of the type used in shops and warehouses, and particularly to the kind shown in my United States Patent No, 2,061,044, issued November 17, 1936, wherein the load is carried by one ropeV or set of ropes, and an operator is carried on a support on an independent rope adjacent the load to always rise and descend with it, the operator having complete control over all movements of the crane or hoist as well as raising and lowering of the load, yet he remains adjacent the load at all times; thus being safe on a separate rope in case the load rope breaks, yet always in close supervision to the load wherever it happens to be.

The objects of the present invention are to provide improvements in construction of this kind of a traveling hoist which will make a more compact construction over that of the former patent, also which will have a greater lift with same height of room, or height of crane from floor, and which will be more economical to build.

Other advantages of the invention will appear in the following description and accompanying drawings.

In the drawings: Figure l is a side elevation of my improved traveling hoist or crane with both load carrier and operators support or cage shown fully elevated.

Figure 2 is an end view of Figure l.

Figure 3 is a detached plan of the hoist drums and rope leads.

Figures 4 and 5 are respectively plan and end elevations of a modied rope drum arrangement.

Figure 6 is an elevation of a further modification of the rope and drum arrangement.

The present construction, as in the construction shown in my patent above mentioned, is applicable to traveling hoists or cranes which have two lateral directions o travel besides the vertical movement of the load-carrying devices, such as ordinary traveling shop cranes, as well as to such traveling hoists or cranes as travel only along a fixed rail.

In the drawings I designates the beam of a traveling crane rollably supported at opposite ends as by rollers 2 on tracks 3 carried by the building walls or columns Il and propelled along the tracks by an electric motor 5 in the well known manner not specically concerned with the present invention.

Rollably mounted on the lower flanges of the beam I are roller carriages or trolleys 6 provided with rollers l, and from which trolleys is suspended a hoist frame S, while one or more of the rollers as at l may be operatively geared to an electric motor 9 for propelling the assemblage along the beam as may be desired, in the well known way.

Carried byhoist frame 8 and extending transversely of crane beam I is an electric motor, gear, and hoist drum assemblage of well-known type, best shown in Figure 3, wherein the motor is indicated at I5, its reduction gear case II, and the winding drum for the ropes is shown to consist of three contiguous sections I 2, I3 and I4 preferably scored as indicated for the several ropes I5, I5', I6 and I6', the ropes being preferably double or in pairs as indicated, and the two sets i6, IS extending from sections I2 and i4. of the drum to suspend the operators cage Il, while the other two sets I5, I5 are extended to suspend the load carrying sling or pallet frame E8, or other load carrying device, such as a hook or tackle.

As the motor, drum and gear assembly is of well known type, it need not be detailed or further described than to state that suitable reduction gearing in casing II transmits power from the rotor of motor I@ to the winding drum which embraces sections I2, I3 and I, which are either Secured together or otherwise integrally joined or cast, and which are revolvably supported concentric with the motor and reduced speed shafts, not shown. The invention is not limited to this precise arrangement of motor, gearing and windthe two spaced members I9, I9', of a horizontal extension frame to carry the idler sheaves 2i) for the operator cage ropes I5, I5', as well as for anchoring the ends of the ropes at 2I after passing under and up from the idlers or pulley blocks 22 secured to the top of the operators cage.

Extension frame I9 also provides for mounting one or more spring return reels 23, 23', for rewinding or taking up and paying out the electric control caoies 24, 24', from the operators cage, and which lead to the control buttons 25 by which an operator in the cage controls all movements of travel of the crane as well as raising and lowering of the hoist ropes by suitable electrical circuits not shown. These reels 23, 25', are supported on the overhanging ends of a wide channel plate 25 which is secured to and straddles the frame sides I9. The extreme ends of the frame sides extend beyond all parts of the cage as well as the wire reels and are connected across the top by a cover plate 42 and provided at the outer ends with a cross member 2'I serving as a wall limit stop or bumper in the travel of the assemblage along rail I.

When the operators cage is in fully elevated position it strikes a gravity switch lever 28 and cuts oi its own lift current.

Hoist ropes I5, I', which extend to the load carrying device, here shown as a pallet frame I8, extend under idler sheaves or pulley blocks 29, carried by the frame, and pass upward to anchorage at 3l! on hoist frame 8. When pallet frame I8 or other load carrying device is at its highest point, one of its pulleys 29 strikes a gravity switch lever 3I for cutting off its lift current at that point.

Extension frame sides I9 are of tapered form with their large ends bolted or riveted as at 32 to the peripheries of the motor housing II! and gear casing II respectively to project outwardly from the hoist assembly on the opposite side from the hoist frame 8.

The two oppositely extending frames 8 and I9 provide for running the ropes for the load and operators cage respectively in opposite directions from the hoist drum, thereby tending tov balance the pull, and the greater extension of frame I9 provides positive lateral spacing of the operators cage from the load carrying device so that in case of breaking of the load rope the operator will be protected,

The extension of the frame I9 to carry the cage also gives the necessary longer lead for guiding ropes I6, I6' of the operators cage to the idlers 2U.

The arrangement of the hoist drum and various ropes is best shown in Figure 3 wherein the drum is shown to be of three sections I2, I3 and I4, which may be either secured together or preferably cast in one piece. The central section I3 is reserved for ropes I 5, I5', for carrying the load, and is scored oppositely from the center as indicated at I3', and the ropes I5, I5 are secured to it at the opposite ends of the section as at 33 by any suitable means so that as they wind up on the drum they gradually approach the center of their drum section.

The two end sections I2 and I4 are reserved for ropes i9, I6 for carrying the operators cage or support I1 and are secured to the remote ends of the section as at 34, and 35, the sections being scored as indicated at I2', I4', so that the load ropes in winding up on them will approach section I3 to lead fair to pulleys 20 which are spaced accordingly.

Ropes I9, I6 extend from the lower side of the drum, and ropes I5, I5 from the upper side of the drum, so that both sets will wind up and unwind simultaneously as the drum is turned one way or the other. By the arrangement shown in Figure 3, although the winding drum sections may be considered either as one continuous drum with the ropes coming 01T opposite sides (top and bottom of drum), or since each rope operates only on its own portion of the drum, the sections may be considered as three drums secured together.

1t should beY noted that the length of the drum sections will vary in hoist-s for different lift requirements, it being desirable to furnish the assemblage no longer than necessary to easily hann dle the particular Vlift desired.

In the construction as shown, the cage is kept from revolving by the use of the two sets of ropes and spaced sheaves or pulleys 22, and by carrying the operators cage near the end of a long cantilever frame I 9 it is spaced laterally from the hoist drum so that it can rise to a position above it without interference as shown in the drawings.

Another advantage of the construction is that it provides for keeping all weight below the supporting beam I yet takes away but very little of the head room as the operators cage rises to one side of the hoist drum and the load pulley block 29 rises to the opposite side of the drum.

Variations in the run of the ropes may be resorted to without departing from the invention, such for instance as omission of the ancho-ring of the ends of the ropes to the hoist frame at 2I and 30 and direct attachment to the operators cage and load respectively, or the drum and ropes may be arranged as in Figures 4 and 5 wherein the operator suspending ropes 36, 36' which suspend the cage I'I pass over guide sheaves 31 and to the under side of a drum 38, while the load carrying ropes 39 come oli the top side of the same drum, the drum being spirally scored as at 49 to gradually wind up both sets of ropes toward the center of the drum, either side by side in one wide groove, or in separate grooves of multiple lead.

In the arrangement shown in Figures 4 and 5 the operators cage Il and the load-carrying device I 8 are shown directly suspended from the ends of their ropes, though if desired the ends may be anchored to the hoist and the loads carried on pulley blocks as shown for Figure 1.

Figure 6 shows a similar arrangement to that of Figure 5, but with both ropes coming off of the top side of the drum, eitherfrom separate spiral score grooves, or from a wide score groove. This requires additional guide pulleys or sheaves as at 4I, the other elements being numbered as for Figure 5 but double primed.

Having thus described my improved construction in a traveling hoist of this type, and some of its modications, what I claim is:

1. In a traveling hoist of the character described, a motor and a winding drum operated thereby, a rope secured to said drum and eX- tending from one side of said drum suspending the load to be lifted, and a ropev secured to said drum and extending from the opposite side of the drum suspending an operator adjacent the load for positive rise and lowering therewith, and remote control means accessible to said operator for controlling travel of the hoist and operation of said drum, both of said ropes arranged te wind on and oi of said drum simultaneously as the drum is turned respectively in opposite directions.

2. In a traveling hoist of the character described, a motor and a winding drum operated thereby, a plurality of ropes secured to said drum and extending from one side of said drum suspending the load to be lifted, and a plurality of ropes secured to said drum and extending from the opposite side of the drum suspending an operator adjacent the load for positive rise and lowering therewith, and remote control means accessible to said operator for controlling travel of the hoist and operation of said drum, all of ksaid ropes arranged to wind on and off of said drum simultaneously as the drumY is turned respectively in opposite directions.

3. In a traveling hoist of the character described, a motor and a winding drum operated thereby, a plurality of ropes secured to said drum and extending from one side of said drum suspending the load to be lifted, and a plurality of ropes secured to said drum and extending from the opposite side of the drum suspending an operator adjacent the load for positive rise and lowering therewith, and remote control means accessible to said operator for controlling travel of the hoist and operation of said drum, one set of ropes arranged to wind about the central portion of said drum only, and the other set of ropes arranged to wind upon opposite end portions oi the drum only, all in a manner so that all of the ropes will wind onto the drum simultaneously when the drum is turned one Way and all simultaneously unwind therefrom when the drum is reversed.

4. In a traveling hoist, a horizontally extending frame, means rollably suspending said frame from an overhead beam for rolling therealong, a winding drum extending transversely of said frame, a motor geared to said drum, ropes extending from opposite sides of said drum and anchored at their ends respectively to opposite ends oi said frame, and means suspending the load to be carried from the rope at one side of the drum, and means suspending an operator from the rope at the opposite side of the drum, and remote control means accessible to the operator for controlling the travel of the hoist and also the operation of the drum, both of said ropes arranged to wind on and off of said drum simultaneously as the drum is turned respectively in opposite directions. V

5. In a traveling hoist arrangement, amotor, winding drum and reduction gear casing in rigid assembly, roller carriage means suspending said assembly from a beam for rolling therealong and with the Winding drum extending transversely of said beam, a frame secured to said assembly and projecting horizontally from opposite sides of said winding drum, a load carrying rope extending from one side oi the drum anchored to one extension of the frame, and an operator carrying rope extending from the opposite side of said drum and anchored to the opposite extension of the frame, a load carrying device suspended on the first mentioned rope between its anchorage point and one side of said drum, an operators support suspended on the second mentioned rope between its anchorage and the opposite side of said drum, and remote control means accessible to the operator for controlling the operation of said drum and also the bodily travel of the hoist.

6. In a traveling hoist arrangement, a motor, winding drum, and reduction gear casing, in rigid assembly, roller carriage means suspending said assembly from a beam for rolling therealong and with the winding drum extending transversely of said beam, a frame secured to said assembly and projecting horizontally, a rope extending from said drum arranged for carrying the load to be lifted, an operator carrydng rope extending from said drum, a guide wheel supported on said frame and over which the latter rope extends in spaced relation to the load carrying rope, an operators support suspended on the second mentioned rope,

and remote control means accessible to an operator on said support for controlling the operation of said drum and the bodily travel of the hoist.

'7. In a traveling hoist arrangement, a motor, a winding drum operated by said motor, roller carriage means including a frame suspending said drum and its motor from a beam for rolling therealong, a motor arranged for propelling the hoist bodily along said beam, a load carrying rope extending from said drum, a guide wheel supported on said frame, an operator carrying rope extending from said drum and extending over said guide wheel in spaced relation to the load carrying rope and provided with an operators suppo-rt, and remote control means accessible to an operator on said support for controlling the operation of said drum and the bodily travel of the hoist, both ropes arranged to wind on and off of said drum simultaneously as the drum is turned respectively in opposite directions.

8. In a traveling hoist arrangement, a motor, a winding drum operated by said motor, roller carriage means including a frame suspending said drum and its motor from a beam for rolling therealong, a motor arranged for propelling the hoist bodily along said beam, a load carrying rope extending from said drum, a guide wheel supported on said frame, an operator carrying rope extending from said drum and extending over said guide Wheel in spaced relation to the load carrying rope and provided with an operators support, and remote control means accessible to to an operator on said support for controlling the operation of said drum and the bodily travel of the hoist, said frame comprising two spaced side members supporting the hoist elements, and a plate connecting the side members covering said hoist elements.

WILLIAM I-I. RINGE. 

